Bloomingdale offers taste of fitness at open house

Rosanna Catapano of Bloomingdale works out with an exercise ball Saturday during Beginner Bootcamp at the Bloomingdale Park District's first Fitness Open House. Catapano said she's "ready to get back in shape" in 2013.Paul Michna | Staff Photographer

Lynette Joyaux of Bloomingdale works out Saturday during the Beginner Bootcamp session at the Bloomingdale Park District's first Fitness Open House at the Johnston Recreation Center.Paul Michna | Staff Photographer

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"It's nice to give everyone a taste of the classes," said Rebecca Chudik, recreation supervisor.

The park district opened up the aerobics studio at Johnston Recreation Center, 172 S. Circle Ave., for anyone with a New Year's resolution to get in shape, or anyone simply wanting a morning of exercise.

More than a dozen people, most of them women, attended the two-hour event and participated in 20-minute versions of usually hourlong classes that involved dancing, stretching, stomping, clapping and working the abs.

"What's nice is it's all new people," Josh Hendricks, park district spokesman, said about the Fitness Open House attendees. "None of these are our regular participants."

Rosanna Catapano of Bloomingdale said she came to try out the park district's fitness classes because she feels "ready to get back in shape" this new year. With two young children, she said she's looking for an exercise program that can fit into her schedule, and she may have found one Saturday morning.

"I really liked Bootcamp. It was a good workout," Catapano said about the class involving strength training and cardiovascular exercises with hand weights, resistance bands and stability balls. "I just thought I'd try it out to see what I'd like."

For those who missed the open house, some classes are offering a free session in the coming months, Chudik said. Hot yoga will be free from 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. Monday and March 18 at the Johnston Recreation Center, and Tai Chi for Health will be free from 1 to 2 p.m. April 24 also at the Johnston Recreation Center.

Many adult fitness classes begin in the coming week, and registration is available at online, by fax to (630) 529-9184 or at the Johnston Recreation Center.

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